Prince of the Pyrenees, threatened
2005/09/15 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia
The Sarrians live on the mountain, on the rocks. Agile and terrors escape when men and women sit around them. But there are, and it is not difficult to find them in the Pyrenees, for example.
In recent times, however, they are gravely. Many are dying from a virus. Only in the Cerdanya-Alt Urgell de Catalunya reserve, the census of rebecos has decreased by 85%, 6% in the last year. In fact, last year there were 563 occasions in this territory and this year only 81.
The situation is also worrying in the surrounding territories. The disease is spreading to the Mediterranean, but at any time the trend may change westward. The virus is transmitted by air.
As can be seen in the photo, the virus completely weakens animals. The virus affects the mucous membranes and the symptoms are both internal and external. In the end they die.
Those responsible for the entire Pyrenees are very concerned and collaborate to find a way to stop the disease. Meanwhile, the plague has not receded. At the moment there is no good news.
Photo: Servei d’Ecopatología de Fauna Salvatge.Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
